Verbatim
by Nymbis
Summary: Sai has fun with words, and Sakura is an unknowing test subject.


**Verbatim**

**Summary: **Sai has fun with words, and Sakura is an unknowing test subject. Drabblish.

**AN: **Just a plot bunny I had when trying to work on a different Sai/Sakura story. I'm pretty sure it doesn't have a point. Nothing was intended to be offensive.

It was a nice enough day, Sai observed calmly as he tested the newest addition to his vocabulary. Nice. The word played foreign in his mind, as he wasn't entirely adjusted to applying it as a positive adjective. Before, the word "nice" meant something subtle, accurate or painstakingly fastidious. He had nice aiming abilities with a shuriken, for example.

Now, he was discovering that all the words he thought he knew had totally opposing or befuddling meanings.

Nice. It was a nice day. It was a pleasing or likeable day.

His eyebrows furrowed, that didn't seem like the right application at all. How could something that is meticulous be conceived as enjoyable? Was it good to notice every small detail? Was something 'nice' more acceptable than something broad?

Resigned, he slowly took out a pen and _nicely _scrawled the word 'nice' onto his list, followed by a question mark. The list included other adjectives such as irritated, gay, thin, and bright. Words that he thought he understood, but now was having difficulties with as he attempted to get a grasp on 'emotions'.

He was beginning to believe that they were more troublesome than they were worth.

His ever-present smile grew slightly when he realized that he had just correctly experienced 'exasperation'.

He would find that his experience would become a bit more substantiated, when he heard the distant footfalls whose sound he had begun to grow familiar with. Sure enough, the poof! of a suddenly materializing nin followed by a flash of bright pink assailed his vision.

Sai contemplated the new arrival of his teammate, perhaps she could help him in his mission to fully comprehend the puzzling words?

OoO

Sakura looked around the red bridge, having rushed over from the hospital to make it to Team Seven's training session on time. She felt a bit disappointed when she realized that the only other person who had bothered to demonstrate punctuality was Sai, who was sitting calmly on the railing while scribbling something down on his sketchpad.

Sighing, and taking a seat next to him, but not too close, she turned to the artist nin.

"Hello Sai." She ventured after a few moments, because while Sai was perhaps not her favorite person, she promised long ago that she would no longer be rude to teammates. Besides, she was one to know that first impressions were not always the best-

"Hag," He grunted in greeting.

Sai seemed to scrutinize his notebook, before drawing a straight line that divided the sheet in half. He named the left column "Positive" and the right column "Negative".

Her teeth clenched at his unfortunate nickname for her, but she tried for once to restrain herself from punching him. People changed over time, everyone could grow into a better person-

"Your skin appears more inflamed than usual today." He continued conversationally, as his eyes rested on the first word to be determined on the list.

The tinniest of veins began to peep up on the corner of her slightly wide forehead.

Sai placed a tally on the Negative side next to the word 'irritated'.

_He probably doesn't realize what he's saying,_ Sakura reasoned mentally, _He's still trying to get a hold of common courtesy, he probably doesn't understand what that means-_

"Don't be concerned, Hag, it correctly matches your gay hair," Sai said, smiling widely.

Sakura's fists clenched so tightly her knuckles popped, and her breathing was becoming ragged pants, "Sai, it would be in the best interest of your personal health for you to shut up now." Her shoulders had squared and she desperately tried to recall the passive-aggressive mental chants Iruka had instructed her on during the second year at the Academy.

Another tally underneath the Negative column for 'gay'. Sai noticed that the aura around Sakura had become greatly darkened and volatile, but he was resolved to test all the words on his list.

"The shirt you are wearing clearly demonstrates how underdeveloped you are-"

This time, there was no restraint, and a chakra-infused fist plowed straight into the left side of Sai's jaw. Sai had barely enough time to register that the word 'thin' deserved a negative tally before he felt himself being launched into the air.

Sakura stood straight up, fuming angrily as her fist smoked slightly, green eyes like lasers glaring at the grievously harmed former Root ANBU member that now lay an impressive thirty feet and Sai-sized trench away.

Sai stared blankly up at the clear blue sky, as it was somewhat uncomfortable to move after being pummeled, with a stare of perpetual confusion. He had used the words correctly, had he not? Why was she so upset then? According to the books, those were to be seen as somewhat flattering descriptions, and he thought she would have been impressed with his use of a medical term. Instead she had punched him rather hard. These 'emotions' were terribly complicated.

The dust around the fallen nin settled and he slowly pried himself up out of the ground, a hand rubbing the spot on his jaw painfully. The blow had been rather painful, but Sai absently remarked on how precise and startlingly accurate Sakura's fist hand been.

A somewhat epiphany occurred to him then. _Finally, _something he understood.

Nodding, as clarity finally dawned on him, Sai walked slowly over to Sakura, eyeing her clenched fists with some distrust, before he patted her amiably on the shoulder. He totally ignored the radiating homicidal intentions coming from the irate kunoichi.

"Hag," He said, fake smile painted on.

She turned and the syllables of her words were like dripping poison, _**"What Sai?!"**_

His smile widened slightly, "You have a very nice punch."

OoO

Notes, aka what Sai thinks the words mean:

Gay: Brightly colored

Nice: Precise or accurate

Irritated: Medical term for swollen or red

Thin: Underdeveloped


End file.
